Lost application

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Level 1

0 points

Lost application

I have a G4 Powerbook running 10.5.8, on which HOBOware v. 2.2, an application that controls a HOBO data logger, was installed. The HOBO is used at a remote location to record snow depth. Somehow version 2.2 of HOBOware was lost from the Powerbook. I have downloaded the installation package for version 2.2 from Onset, the producers of HOBOs and HOBOware, but when I try to install it I am told there is a newer version of HOBOware already present so cannot install the older version. Unfortunately, this newer version does not appear in the applications folder nor can I find it with Spotlight to uninstall it. I loaned my original installation disc to another and have not seen it since and Onset appears not to have archived their earliest versions, of which 2.2 is one.

I would very much appreciate any suggestions on how I find the newer version already installed so I can uninstall it.

Thank you

Ted

PowerBook, Mac OS X (10.5.8)

Posted on Nov 17, 2012 1:57 PM

Reply

Answer 1

Limnos

Level 10

411,187 points

Nov 18, 2012 8:31 AM in response to Ted Stampfer

-= Deleting Applications =-
First, I suggest backing up your drive in case you uninstall something you shouldn't have uninstalled.

Most small programs can have all their components contained within an app package. After running, the program will likely install a file in Preferences (either in your user area, or the main preferences, or both). Dragging a program and its preferences to the trash is often all that is needed, or you can use a program like AppDelete to delete these programs. However, most app delete programs will not have an inventory of what is installed -- they just look for files that are clearly associated with the app you are deleting.

Preferences files may require creative thinking to track. For example, ones from Apple start with com.apple then the name of the application.

Try to find files associated with the application you want to delete by using Spotlight, Finder, or EasyFind - http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/11076/easyfind (free and generally highly recommended) to search for the application's name. Favorite folders for files to be installed are:

/Applications/
/Library/Preferences/
/Users/YourName/Library/Application Support/
/Users/YourName/Library/Preferences

where YourName refers to the user name when you login and the / indicates the series of folders down from your main drive.

A few programs may set login items to start automatically when your computer starts or a specific user logs in. These items are located in:

/Library/StartupItems/
or
/Users/YourName/Library/StartupItems/

To edit these, go to your account set up in System Preferences, login items tab, select the item(s) and a "-" to remove.

More involved programs (e.g., Office) may install bits and pieces all over the place, like fonts, libraries, etc. The software installer may have an uninstall option, or there may be a separate uninstaller for these. In bad situations you have to hunt around yourself.

Some programs install invisible files. You can use a utility like Onyx to toggle visibility on your computer and check for invisible files.

Sometimes programs install files (often hidden) not readily associated with the program and if you're worried about those the only thing to do is a scan before and after installing a program and see what has changed.

Check out the freeware and shareware utilities:

AppDelete - http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/system_disk_utilities/appdelete.html - shareware

AppZapper - http://www.appzapper.com/

AppCleaner - http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/macosx/32740 -freeware

AppTrap - http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/macosx/10867505 -freeware

I have not tried any of these so I cannot rate them.